IIT Mandi to host its 7th edition of Himalayan Startup Trek from September 29

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi’s technology business incubator, Catalyst will host its seventh edition of its annual flagship event, Himalayan Startup Trek (HST) from September 29 to October 1, 2023.

The winning startups will receive incubation support, access to funding schemes for prototyping and product development up to Rs 50 lakhs, and the opportunity for piloting within the state.

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The event will provide a platform for startups, innovators, and aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas. The HST will feature a startup grand challenge which is a startup pitch competition. The competition will focus on three areas which are the new age alliance - Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the foothill innovators challenge - build for the Himalayas and the habitable world challenge - environment and sustainability. Each area offers prizes of up to Rs 2 Lakhs to be distributed among the top three startups in each category.

The 'new age alliance - Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)' is designed in collaboration with the iHub and HCI Foundation at IIT Mandi. It focuses on harnessing the power of human-computer interaction to drive innovation across various industries. According to the institute, startups in this category will tackle challenges related to assistive technologies, cognitive enhancement, AI-driven decision-making, and more.

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The ‘foothill innovators challenge - build for the Himalayas’ in partnership with the state's Industries Department and other relevant bodies, will address the challenges faced in the Himalayan region. Problems related to road safety, agriculture, local product scaling, rural development, and the integration of technology for human resource management will be addressed.

The ‘habitable world challenge - environment and sustainability’ developed in collaboration with various organisations including Peak Ventures and Pollution Control Board-HP, seeks solutions for pressing environmental concerns. As per IIT Mandi, topics covered under this challenge include waste management, clean technologies, sustainable livelihoods, water purification, and climate-resilient agriculture.

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IIT Mandi Catalyst provides guidance and support to early-stage startups through infrastructure, financial assistance and mentorship. It is supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and the HP State government.